Planetary Analog Research Articles

Inferring sun direction to improve visual odometry: A deep learning approach

We present a method to incorporate global orientation information from the sun into a visual odometry pipeline using only the existing image stream, in which the sun is typically not visible. We leverage recent advances in Bayesian convolutional neural networks (BCNNs) to train and implement a sun detection model (dubbed Sun-BCNN) that infers a 3D sun direction vector from a single RGB image. Crucially, our method also computes a principled uncertainty associated with each prediction, using a Monte Carlo dropout scheme. We incorporate this uncertainty into a sliding window stereo visual odometry pipeline where accurate uncertainty estimates are critical for optimal data fusion. We evaluate our method on 21.6 km of urban driving data from the KITTI odometry benchmark where it achieves a median error of approximately 12° and yields improvements of up to 42% in translational average root mean squared error (ARMSE) and 32% in rotational ARMSE compared with standard visual odometry. We further evaluate our method on an additional 10 km of visual navigation data from the Devon Island Rover Navigation dataset, achieving a median error of less than 8° and yielding similar improvements in estimation error. In addition to reporting on the accuracy of Sun-BCNN and its impact on visual odometry, we analyze the sensitivity of our model to cloud cover, investigate the possibility of model transfer between urban and planetary analogue environments, and examine the impact of different methods for computing the mean and covariance of a norm-constrained vector on the accuracy and consistency of the estimated sun directions. Finally, we release Sun-BCNN as open-source software.

The scientific and educational significance of geoparks as planetary analogues: the example of Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands UNESCO Global Geopark

The scientific and educational significance of geoparks as planetary analogues: the example of Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands UNESCO Global Geopark

Correlations Between Life-Detection Techniques and Implications for Sampling Site Selection in Planetary Analog Missions.

We conducted an analog sampling expedition under simulated mission constraints to areas dominated by basaltic tephra of the Eldfell and Fimmvörðuháls lava fields (Iceland). Sites were selected to be “homogeneous” at a coarse remote sensing resolution (10–100 m) in apparent color, morphology, moisture, and grain size, with best-effort realism in numbers of locations and replicates. Three different biomarker assays (counting of nucleic-acid-stained cells via fluorescent microscopy, a luciferin/luciferase assay for adenosine triphosphate, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect DNA associated with bacteria, archaea, and fungi) were characterized at four nested spatial scales (1 m, 10 m, 100 m, and >1 km) by using five common metrics for sample site representativeness (sample mean variance, group F tests, pairwise t tests, and the distribution-free rank sum H and u tests). Correlations between all assays were characterized with Spearman's rank test. The bioluminescence assay showed the most variance across the sites, followed by qPCR for bacterial and archaeal DNA; these results could not be considered representative at the finest resolution tested (1 m). Cell concentration and fungal DNA also had significant local variation, but they were homogeneous over scales of >1 km. These results show that the selection of life detection assays and the number, distribution, and location of sampling sites in a low biomass environment with limited a priori characterization can yield both contrasting and complementary results, and that their interdependence must be given due consideration to maximize science return in future biomarker sampling expeditions. Key Words: Astrobiology—Biodiversity—Microbiology—Iceland—Planetary exploration—Mars mission simulation—Biomarker. Astrobiology 17, 1009–1021.

Staircases and barrier permeability in magnetised plasmas

In-depth experimental characterisation of spontaneous shear flow patterning into a so-called staircase—named after its planetary analogue—is shown in magnetised plasma turbulence, using ultrafast-sweeping reflectometry in the Tore Supra tokamak. Staircase signatures are found in a large variety of L-mode plasma conditions. Sensitivity to the dominant source of free energy is highlighted for the first time. A connection between staircase shear layer permeability and deviation from gyro-Bohm confinement scaling is strongly suggested, opening new routes to understanding confinement in drift-wave turbulence.

The Canadian space agency planetary analogue materials suite

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) recently commissioned the development of a suite of over fifty well-characterized planetary analogue materials. These materials are terrestrial rocks and minerals that are similar to those known or suspected to occur on the lunar or martian surfaces. These include: Mars analogue sedimentary, hydrothermal, igneous and low-temperature alteration rock suites; lunar analogue basaltic and anorthositic rock suites; and a generic impactite rock suite from a variety of terrestrial impact structures. Representative thin sections of the materials have been characterized by optical microscopy and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Reflectance spectra have been collected in the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and mid-infrared, covering 0.2–25μm. Thermal infrared emission spectra were collected from 5 to 50μm. Raman spectra with 532nm excitation, and laser-induced fluorescence spectra with 405nm excitation were also measured. Bulk chemical analysis was carried out using X-ray fluorescence, with Fe valence determined by wet chemistry. Chemical and mineralogical data were collected using a field-portable Terra XRD–XRF instrument similar to CheMin on the MSL Curiosity rover. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) data similar to those measured by ChemCam on MSL were collected for powdered samples, cut slab surfaces, and as depth profiles into weathered surfaces where present. Three-dimensional laser camera images of rock textures were collected for selected samples.The CSA intends to make available sample powders (<45μm and 45–1000μm grain sizes), thin sections, and bulk rock samples, and all analytical data collected in the initial characterisation study to the broader planetary science community.Aiming to complement existing planetary analogue rock and mineral libraries, the CSA suite represents a new resource for planetary scientists and engineers. We envision many potential applications for these materials in the definition, development and testing of new analytical instruments for use in planetary missions, as well as possible calibration and ground-truthing of remote sensing data sets. These materials may also be useful as reference materials for cross-calibration between different instruments and laboratories. Comparison of the analytical data for selected samples is useful for highlighting the relative strengths, weaknesses and synergies of different analytical techniques.

Three‐dimensional Scan Registration using Curvelet Features in Planetary Environments

Topographic mapping in planetary environments relies on accurate three‐dimensional (3D) scan registration methods. However, most global registration algorithms relying on features such as fast point feature histograms and Harris‐3D show poor alignment accuracy in these settings due to the poor structure of the Mars‐like terrain, and the variable‐resolution, occluded, sparse range data that are difficult to register without some a priori knowledge of the environment. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach to 3D scan registration using the curvelet transform that performs multiresolution geometric analysis to obtain a set of coefficients indexed by scale (coarsest to finest), angle, and spatial position. Features are detected in the curvelet domain to take advantage of the directional selectivity of the transform. A descriptor is computed for each feature by calculating the 3D spatial histogram of the image gradients, and nearest‐neighbor‐based matching is used to calculate the feature correspondences. Correspondence rejection using random sample consensus identifies inliers, and a locally optimal singular value decomposition‐based estimation of the rigid‐body transformation aligns the laser scans given the reprojected correspondences in the metric space. Experimental results on a publicly available dataset of a planetary analogue indoor facility, as well as simulated and real‐world scans from Neptec Design Group's IVIGMS 3D laser rangefinder at the outdoor CSA Mars yard, demonstrate improved performance over existing methods in the challenging sparse Mars‐like terrain.

The SCITEAS experiment: Optical characterizations of sublimating icy planetary analogues

We have designed and built a laboratory facility to investigate the spectro-photometric and morphologic properties of different types of ice-bearing planetary surface analogs and follow their evolution upon exposure to a low pressure and low temperature environment. The results obtained with this experiment are used to verify and improve our interpretations of current optical remote-sensing datasets. They also provide valuable information for the development and operation of future optical instruments. The Simulation Chamber for Imaging the Temporal Evolution of Analogue Samples (SCITEAS) is a small thermal vacuum chamber equipped with a variety of ports and feedthroughs that permit both in-situ and remote characterizations as well as interacting with the sample. A large quartz window located directly above the sample is used to observe its surface from outside with a set of visible and near-infrared cameras. The sample holder can be easily and quickly inserted and removed from the chamber and is compatible with the other measurement facilities of the Laboratory for Outflow Studies of Sublimating Materials (LOSSy) at the University of Bern. We report here on the results of two of the first experiments performed in the SCITEAS chamber. In the first experiment, fine-grained water ice mixed with dark organic and mineral matter was left to sublime in vacuum and at low temperature, simulating the evolution of the surface of a comet nucleus approaching the Sun. We observed and characterized the formation and evolution of a crust of refractory organic and mineral matter at the surface of the sample and linked the evolution of its structure and texture to its spectro-photometric properties. In the second experiment, a frozen soil was prepared by freezing a mixture of smectite mineral and water. The sample was then left to sublime for 6h to simulate the loss of volatiles from icy soil at high latitudes on Mars. Colour images were produced using the definitions of the filters foreseen for the CaSSIS imager of the Exomars/TGO mission in order to prepare future science operations.

Raman spectroscopy on Mars: identification of geological and bio-geological signatures in Martian analogues using miniaturized Raman spectrometers.

The first Raman spectrometers to be used for in situ analysis of planetary material will be launched as part of powerful, rover-based analytical laboratories within the next 6 years. There are a number of significant challenges associated with building spectrometers for space applications, including limited volume, power and mass budgets, the need to operate in harsh environments and the need to operate independently and intelligently for long periods of time (due to communication limitations). Here, we give an overview of the technical capabilities of the Raman instruments planned for future planetary missions and give a review of the preparatory work being pursued to ensure that such instruments are operated successfully and optimally. This includes analysis of extremophile samples containing pigments associated with biological processes, synthetic materials which incorporate biological material within a mineral matrix, planetary analogues containing low levels of reduced carbon and samples coated with desert varnish that incorporate both geo-markers and biomarkers. We discuss the scientific importance of each sample type and the challenges using portable/flight-prototype instrumentation. We also report on technical development work undertaken to enable the next generation of Raman instruments to reach higher levels of sensitivity and operational efficiency.

Synchronous in-field application of life-detection techniques in planetary analog missions

Field expeditions that simulate the operations of robotic planetary exploration missions at analog sites on Earth can help establish best practices and are therefore a positive contribution to the planetary exploration community. There are many sites in Iceland that possess heritage as planetary exploration analog locations and whose environmental extremes make them suitable for simulating scientific sampling and robotic operations.We conducted a planetary exploration analog mission at two recent lava fields in Iceland, Fimmvörðuháls (2010) and Eldfell (1973), using a specially developed field laboratory. We tested the utility of in-field site sampling down selection and tiered analysis operational capabilities with three life detection and characterization techniques: fluorescence microscopy (FM), adenine-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay. The study made use of multiple cycles of sample collection at multiple distance scales and field laboratory analysis using the synchronous life-detection techniques to heuristically develop the continuing sampling and analysis strategy during the expedition.Here we report the operational lessons learned and provide brief summaries of scientific data. The full scientific data report will follow separately. We found that rapid in-field analysis to determine subsequent sampling decisions is operationally feasible, and that the chosen life detection and characterization techniques are suitable for a terrestrial life-detection field mission.In-field analysis enables the rapid obtainment of scientific data and thus facilitates the collection of the most scientifically relevant samples within a single field expedition, without the need for sample relocation to external laboratories. The operational lessons learned in this study could be applied to future terrestrial field expeditions employing other analytical techniques and to future robotic planetary exploration missions.

Determining the geotechnical properties of planetary regolith using Low Velocity Penetrometers

Measurements of mechanical and thermophysical properties of planetary surface allow determining many important parameters useful for planetologists. For example, effective heat conductivity or thermal inertia of the regolith can help to better understand the processes occurring in the bodies interior. Chemical and mineralogical composition gives us a chance to determine the origin and evolution of moons and satellites. Mechanical properties of the surface are one of the key factors needed by civil engineers for developing future bases on space bodies.Space missions to planetary bodies highly restrict the payload concerning its mass and power consumption. Therefore, it is quite impossible to use a standard terrestrial technique like the Load Plate Test or Direct Shear Tests to determine the geotechnical parameters of the planetary regolith. Even the Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP) method, which is frequently used for field testing, does not fit well with the constraints imposed by a space mission. Nevertheless, its operation principle is very similar to that of at the Low Velocity Penetrators (LVP), several of them being currently on their way to planetary bodies (e.g. the MUPUS instrument) or which were developed in the last couple of years (e.g. the CHOMIK instrument or the KRET device).In this paper we present a comparison between DCP method and LVP operation which was observed during several tests campaigns during mole KRET and CHOMIK instrument development. The tests were performed in different planetary analogues: JSC-1A, Chenobi and AGK-2010, Phobos analogue, cometary analogues F1, F2 and F3 (SRC) and dry quartz sand. In the last part of the paper the concept of results׳ interpretation is presented.

Planetary habitability: lessons learned from terrestrial analogues

AbstractTerrestrial analogue studies underpin almost all planetary missions and their use is essential in the exploration of our Solar system and in assessing the habitability of other worlds. Their value relies on the similarity of the analogue to its target, either in terms of their mineralogical or geochemical context, or current physical or chemical environmental conditions. Such analogue sites offer critical ground-truthing for astrobiological studies on the habitability of different environmental parameter sets, the biological mechanisms for survival in extreme environments and the preservation potential and detectability of biosignatures. The 33 analogue sites discussed in this review have been selected on the basis of their congruence to particular extraterrestrial locations. Terrestrial field sites that have been used most often in the literature, as well as some lesser known ones which require greater study, are incorporated to inform on the astrobiological potential of Venus, Mars, Europa, Enceladus and Titan. For example, the possibility of an aerial habitable zone on Venus has been hypothesized based on studies of life at high-altitudes in the terrestrial atmosphere. We also demonstrate why many different terrestrial analogue sites are required to satisfactorily assess the habitability of the changing environmental conditions throughout Martian history, and recommend particular sites for different epochs or potential niches. Finally, habitable zones within the aqueous environments of the icy moons of Europa and Enceladus and potentially in the hydrocarbon lakes of Titan are discussed and suitable analogue sites proposed. It is clear from this review that a number of terrestrial analogue sites can be applied to multiple planetary bodies, thereby increasing their value for astrobiological exploration. For each analogue site considered here, we summarize the pertinent physiochemical environmental features they offer and critically assess the fidelity with which they emulate their intended target locale. We also outline key issues associated with the existing documentation of analogue research and the constraints this has on the efficiency of discoveries in this field. This review thus highlights the need for a global open access database for planetary analogues.

Ground penetrating radar geologic field studies of the ejecta of Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona, as a planetary analog

AbstractGround penetrating radar (GPR) has been a useful geophysical tool in investigating a variety of shallow subsurface geological environments on Earth. Here we investigate the capabilities of GPR to provide useful geologic information in one of the most common geologic settings of planetary surfaces, impact crater ejecta. Three types of ejecta are surveyed with GPR at two wavelengths (400 MHz, 200 MHz) at Meteor Crater, Arizona, with the goal of capturing the GPR signature of the subsurface rock population. In order to “ground truth” the GPR characterization, subsurface rocks are visually counted and measured in preexisting subsurface exposures immediately adjacent to and below the GPR transect. The rock size‐frequency distribution from 10 to 50 cm based on visual counts is well described by both power law and exponential functions, the former slightly better, reflecting the control of fragmentation processes during the impact‐ejection event. GPR counts are found to overestimate the number of subsurface rocks in the upper meter (by a factor of 2–3x) and underestimate in the second meter of depth (0.6–1.0x), results attributable to the highly scattering nature of blocky ejecta. Overturned ejecta that is fractured yet in which fragments are minimally displaced from their complement fragments produces fewer GPR returns than well‐mixed ejecta. The use of two wavelengths and division of results into multiple depth zones provides multiple aspects by which to characterize the ejecta block population. Remote GPR measurement of subsurface ejecta in future planetary situations with no subsurface exposure can be used to characterize those rock populations relative to that of Meteor Crater.

Planning using a Network of Reusable Paths: A Physical Embodiment of a Rapidly Exploring Random Tree

Growing a network of reusable paths is a novel approach to navigation that allows a mobile robot to autonomously seek distant goals in unmapped, GPS‐denied environments, which may make it particularly well‐suited to rovers used for planetary exploration. A network of reusable paths is an extension to visual‐teach‐and‐repeat systems; instead of a simple chain of poses, there is an arbitrary network. This allows the robot to return to any pose it has previously visited, and it lets a robot plan to reuse previous paths. This paradigm results in closer goal acquisition (through reduced localization error) and a more robust approach to exploration with a mobile robot. It also allows a rover to return a sample to an ascent vehicle with a single command. We show that our network‐of‐reusable‐paths approach is a physical embodiment of the popular rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) planner. Simulation results are presented along with the results from two different robotic test systems. These test systems drove over 14 km in planetary analog environments.

Debris flows on the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Alaska: Implications for analogous processes on Mars

We observed niveo-aeolian deposits, denivation features, and small meltwater-induced debris flows that had formed at the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, northwestern interior Alaska in late March 2010. This high-latitude, cold-climate dune field is being studied as a planetary analog to improve our understanding of factors that may trigger debris flows on the lee slopes of martian aeolian dunes. Debris flows consisted of a sand and liquid water mixture that cascaded down the lee slopes of two barchanoid dunes on days when measured ground surface temperatures were below freezing. We hypothesize that relatively dark sand on snow caused local hot spots where solar radiation could be absorbed by the sand and conducted into the underlying snow, enabling meltwater to form and sand to be mobilized. This investigation provides insights into the interactions between niveo-aeolian deposition, slope aspect and insolation, thawing, and initiation of alluvial processes. These debris flows are morphologically similar to those associated with seasonal gullies or erosion tracks visible on the slopes of mid- to high-latitude dune fields in both martian hemispheres. Localized heating and thawing at scales too small for orbital sensors to identify may yield martian debris flows at current climate conditions.

Dielectric and hardness measurements of planetary analog rocks in support of in-situ subsurface sampling

Accurate assessment of the subsurface mechanical characteristics and how they correlate with dielectric properties is crucial to optimize future drilling and sampling investigations on planetary bodies. For 12 different types of basaltic rocks with different hardnesses, we use capacitive cells to measure the real part of the dielectric constant over the frequency range 100–1000MHz, and a Schmidt hammer hardness tester to measure the hardness using a scale of 10–100. Our measurements suggest that the real part of the dielectric constant and rock hardness are linearly correlated. Additionally, sample hardness was linearly correlated to density. For a density ranging from 0.82 to 3.05g/cm3, the real part of the dielectric constant ε′ and rebound hardness values R ranged from ε′=1.8–7.6 and R=14.16–68 for the different basalt samples. Hence, high dielectric constants imply a high rock hardness value and vice versa. We concluded that for volcanic surfaces that are analogous to the Martian surface as well as other planetary surfaces, there is an inverse correlation between drilling penetration rate based on the rotary-percussive drill method and the dielectric constant. Dielectric inversion from planetary radar probing experiments proposed herein is a crucial method to locate regions with lowest hardness and hence highest drilling penetration rate in desiccated volcanic planetary subsurfaces. The use of these cross-correlation measurements can optimize future drilling experiments and ensure that they reach their targets of opportunities, minimize losses in drilling performance, or the unnecessary use of power that will be needed for the continuity of the investigation.

The Canadian planetary emulation terrain 3D mapping dataset

This paper describes a collection of 272 three-dimensional laser scans gathered at two unique planetary analogue rover test facilities in Canada, which offer emulated planetary terrain at manageable scales for algorithmic development. This dataset is subdivided into four individual subsets, each gathered using panning laser rangefinders on different mobile rover platforms. This data should be of interest to field robotics researchers developing rover navigation algorithms suitable for use in three-dimensional, unstructured, natural terrain. All of the data are presented in human-readable text files, and are accompanied by Matlab parsing scripts to facilitate use thereof. This paper provides an overview of the available data.

Lighting‐invariant Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance‐based Lidar

Visual Teach and Repeat (VT&amp;R) is an effective method to enable a vehicle to repeat any previously driven route using just a visual sensor and without a global positioning system. However, one of the major challenges in recognizing previously visited locations is lighting change, as this can drastically alter the appearance of the scene. In an effort to achieve lighting invariance, this paper details the design of a VT&amp;R system that uses a laser scanner as the primary sensor. Unlike a traditional scan‐matching approach, we apply appearance‐based computer vision techniques to laser intensity images for motion estimation, providing us the benefit of lighting invariance. Field tests were conducted in an outdoor, planetary analogue environment, over an entire diurnal cycle, repeating a 1.1 km route more than 10 times with an autonomy rate of 99.7% by distance. We describe, in detail, our experimental setup and results, as well as how we address the various off‐nominal scenarios related to feature‐poor environments, hardware failures, and estimation drift. An analysis on motion distortion and a comparison with a stereo‐based system is also presented. We show that even without motion compensation, our system is robust enough to repeat long‐range routes accurately and reliably. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application of planetary analog mechanical properties to subsurface geological investigations

Investigations of the mechanical properties of planetary analog materials are of great importance to improve future mission success and to enhance our understanding of the history and evolution of planetary surfaces and subsurfaces. Determining the stratigraphy of the subsurface using drills and penetrometers implies knowing the mechanical properties of the regolith. Therefore, we investigated the mechanical properties of Martian regolith analogs (JSC Mars-1 and an unaltered basaltic soil from Mojave desert). Penetration force is dependent on the bearing capacity factor (Nq) and the angle of internal friction which is found to be function of the level of compaction and increases with relative density. The bearing capacity factor (Nq) showed an exponential trend with the angle of internal friction. For Mojave soil, (Nq) increased from 64 to 338 with φ increasing from 32 to 41.3° while (Nq) increased from 161 to 3347 with φ increasing from 39.4 to 54.7° for JSC Mars-1. Based on estimation of the bearing capacity factor and the angle of internal friction, we predicted the force of penetration under the Martian gravity using a 1.2cm diameter penetrometer. Under a bulk density of 1240 and 1500kgm−3 in JSC Mars-1 and Mojave soil, 460 and 200N is the estimated force to reach a depth of about 20cm deep. Based on this investigation, distinguishing between different regolith layers on the subsurface of Mars is possible and observable using penetration force.

The use of swept-charge devices in planetary analogue X-ray fluorescence studies

The Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS) was launched onboard the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission in October 2008. The instrument consisted of 24 swept-charge device (SCD) silicon X-ray detectors providing a total collecting area of ∼ 24 cm2, corresponding to a 14° field of view (FWHM), with the ability to measure X-rays from 0.8–10 keV. One algorithm used to analyse the C1XS flight data was developed at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) to convert the raw X-ray flux data into elemental ratios and abundances to make geological interpretations about the lunar surface. Laboratory X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data were used to validate the RAL algorithm, with previous studies investigating how the measured XRF flux varies with target surface characteristics including grain size and roughness. Evidence for a grain-size effect was observed in the data, the XRF line intensity generally decreasing with increasing sample grain size, dependent on the relative abundance of elemental components. This paper presents a subsequent study using more homogeneous samples made from mixtures of MgO, Al2O3 and SiO2 powders, all of grain size < 44 μm, across a broader range of mixture ratios and at a higher level of X-ray flux data in order to further validate the RAL algorithm. For the majority of the C1XS flight data analysed so far with the RAL algorithm, the corresponding lunar ground tracks have been generally basaltic, laboratory verification of the algorithm having been primarily conducted using basaltic lunar regolith simulant (JSC-1A) XRF data. This paper also presents results from tests on a terrestrial anorthosite sample, more relevant to the anorthositic lunar highlands, from where the remaining C1XS lunar dataset derives. The operation of the SCD, the XRF test facility, sample preparation and collected XRF spectra are discussed in this paper.

Planning for Mars Returned Sample Science: Final Report of the MSR End-to-End International Science Analysis Group (E2E-iSAG)

Returning samples from Mars to Earth for scientific analysis has been, and continues to be, among the highest priority objectives of planetary science. Partly for this reason, the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey placed high priority on a proposed 2018 rover mission that would conduct careful in situ science and use that scientific information to select and cache samples that could be returned to Earth by a potential future mission. In order to ensure that the potential contributions of the 2018 rover to the proposed MSR Campaign are properly planned, this study was undertaken to consider the science of the MSR Campaign concept from end to end. This white paper is the principal output of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) End-to-End International Science Analysis Group (E2E-iSAG): a group chartered by MEPAG (Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group).